Sherwin Williams (not to be confused with Sherwin Williams HGTV Home) has released their Color of the Year for 2026 and it is…
Universal Khaki
While I like a warm neutral as much as the next person, I was hoping this year’s selection would be a color with a bit more impact like a pretty blue or green (Behr has a 2026 COTY choice in this family, which you can read about HERE) or a deep amethyst or red.
This is a more generic color that plays well with others, so it’s useful, but not particularly inspiring all by itself.
At least it has a little more going on than some of the neutrals from other companies in years past. (We’re looking at you Blank Canvas and Simply White).
And it is most DEFINITELY an improvement over the SW unfortunate ‘neutral’ choice from 2023 (click HERE for the post mortem on that).
I do not mean to imply that I don’t like neutrals. They are vital to good decor. I just inherently think the color of the year should put the emphasis on COLOR and reflect some directional trends in home fashions - that is really their job.
If we can infer any trends from this particular neutral choice, I will say it follows the home industry move away from icy grays toward warmer neutrals, and I am absolutely reveling in that!
This warm khaki does make an excellent background for a neutral, restful bedroom. Pair it with black accents like a black iron bed and drapery rods and creamy white trim to keep it neutral but add a little depth. This AI imaginary bedroom is an example of what I mean.
It pairs nicely with a variety of deeper accent colors.
It would make a nice exterior house color with white trim and a deep plum (or black or cranberry or indigo or forest green) front door.
It works as a neutral kitchen cabinet color that is warmer than white and still allows rich accent colors for an island.
And we’ve used something like it on kitchen walls paired with creamy white cabinetry and rich wood tones.
Paired with royal blue or navy it has nautical/preppy/yacht vibes like a classic outfit with crisp khaki pants and a navy blazer.
Sherwin Williams Universal Khaki is very similar to Benjamin Moore Shaker Beige, which is a favorite of mine for warm neutrals with some heft. That is the color of my office makeover (more pics HERE) from the one room challenge in 2020. Unfortunately, it is currently overrun and in need of another good organizing edit, but alas, that is a job for another day.
Sherwin Williams describes Universal khaki as “earthy and timeless”, which feels accurate.
What do YOU think about the trend toward warmer neutrals?
